A 21-year-old El Campo man has pleaded guilty to accidentally killing a teenage friend near …
A Rosenberg waitress who served alcohol to two underage men in January 2020 — one of whom was killed in a car accident later that evening — has been sentenced to two years probation.
Edith Melendez was indicted on two counts of selling alcohol to a minor after one of the young men was killed in a fiery car accident on his way home.
The driver of the vehicle, who was also underage at the time of the accident, pleaded guilty to his role in the tragedy in April and is awaiting sentencing.
Melendez was accused of serving pitchers of beer to Lee Cruz Trevino Jr., who was 19 when the accident occurred, and James Russel O’Canas Jr., 17, on Jan. 12, 2020.
O’Canas was killed in the accident.
Melendez was arrested at the BreWingZ restaurant pub in Town Crossing Center several days after the accident and charged with misdemeanor offenses of serving alcohol to a minor.
Authorities also arrested another individual believed to have purchased alcohol for the two teens that evening — Bicente Castillo — Trevino’s older brother.
Castillo was arrested and charged with two counts of providing alcohol to a minor, a misdemeanor offense.
His case is set for a hearing on June 28.
According to the offense report, Melendez told investigators she did not recall asking the teens for their identification to see if they were old enough to purchase alcohol.
O’Canas and Trevino were at times guzzling the beer directly from the pitchers, the restaurant’s security video revealed.
Later that evening, Trevino was driving the automobile when it hit the tree, killing O’Canas. Trevino was pulled out of the burning vehicle by a good Samaritan.
After being pulled unconscious from the wreck, Trevino came to and took off on foot, authorities reported. He later returned and was arrested. He was initially charged at the time with reckless driving and criminal negligent homicide, both felony offenses, the DA’s office reported.
Within days of the accident, the DA’s office announced Trevino would be charged with accident involving injury or death.
Melendez pleaded nolo contendre to one charge and the second charge was dismissed.
She was sentenced to 24 months deferred adjudicated probation, which means her judgment has been deferred to a later date, if ever.
If she completes her probation, she will not be judged in the case and thus have no criminal record in connection with the case.
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